On Monday, I was a passenger as two-time Formula One Grand Prix auto racing champ Sebastian Vettel of Germany hit 100 mph on Boulevard East in Weehawken.

This afternoon, I took a kiddie-level camel ride at the Meadowlands Racetrack aboard “Snickers.”

At this rate, I’ll be paired up with a giant snail on Sunday.

I’ve explained in blog posts earlier this week about the Formula One race coming to Hudson County. But why was I on a camel today?

It was a media-day event by new track operator Jeff Gural promoting Friday night’s camel and ostrich races as part of the evening’s harness racing card.

The ostriches – with track officials as drivers in buggies in a harness-racing style event – go after the 5th race. The camels – with the employees serving as jockeys – run after 8th race. (The first harness race is at 7 p.m., they take a couple of minutes, and it’s about 15 minutes between races, so you do the math on when the offbeat “races” take place.)

Track general Mike Newlin will be one of the drivers/jockeys, putting his undefeated record as a camel rider (ok, it’s 1-for-1) on the line.

“As far as the speed of the camels, having been on one, I can tell you that you just hang on for dear life,” Newlin said. “It’s a long gallop.”

What about the ostriches? “They’re crazy,” Newlin said. “This will be the first time that an ostrich race has been done on a harness track, hooking up a sulky.”

The races will be about 1/8th of a mile each.

For those of you who haven’t tried, what’s a camel like to ride?

Well, this was a rather slow pace. Like a pony ride, but bumpier, I’d say. And as slow as we went, let’s just say that I can tell that any of you men out there who would like to “race” one should keep in mind that you may feel – er, jostled, in a way that you don’t want to be jostled.

For all the fun of the event for spectators on Friday, the sports business backdrop is that these offbeat races are an example of the first stages of the track’s efforts to attract more – and younger – fans in the first year of operation as a private track after 26 years of state control. A big focus has been on social media – but will the promotional push actually get new fans to show up at the aging grandstand?

The “Arabian Nights” theme at the track includes Middle Eastern food, hookahs and a performance by world-renowned belly dancer Amira Mor and her dance troupe.

P.S. Good news for fans of The Record’s funnyman, Bill Ervolino.

VIDEO that includes a snippet of Ervolino in the latter stage:

http://www.northjersey.com/video/

Finally, there also will be this at the Meadowlands this weekend:

“Famous sport broadcasters will participate in a harness race to benefit their own selected charitable organization on Friday, June 15 & Saturday, June 16 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The broadcasters will drive their horses in a one-mile, non-wagering event that will take place in between the second and third live harness races of the evening.

The Meadowlands will make a total donation of $15,000 to various charities selected by the participating sportscasters.